Months after Abernathy Police Sergeant Terry Edge was involved in an off-duty rollover, his family and friends hoped fundraisers would help cover medical costs.

Edge’s family wanted to raise enough money to send him to the Craig Institute in Denver, CO, which would cost between $10,000-$15,000.

Edge sustained a spinal cord injury during the car accident on November 26, 2016. He remained in serious condition at University Medical Center until recently, when he was transferred to Covenant Specialty Hospital, a long-term care facility. A Covenant spokesperson said he was in fair condition at last check.

Abernathy’s Chief of Police described him as an “outstanding officer,” who trained other members of the department.

Sunday’s fundraiser at Jake’s Backroom (5025 50th St #A) was scheduled to start at 3:00 p.m. and run through the evening. Food, a silent auction, and live music were all planned.

One of the organizers is Lubbock Constable C.J. Peterson, a longtime friend of Edge.

“I’ve known Terry since we were 13 years old,” Peterson said. “We’ve grown up pretty much family.”

“We grew up around each other, we’ve been roommates, we went to the police academy together, we worked together at certain agencies, so he’s family,” Peterson said.

Peterson said he wanted to make sure Edge was able to live out his life comfortably, and help raise his 11-year-old son.

“It’s tough seeing someone that’s been in your family, you know, and something like that,” Peterson said as he teared up. “It’s just hard to see someone that’s so tough, and the one that’s usually telling you to get up, you know, he needs help.

Edge’s cousin, Charlie Senter, said the days and weeks after the crash have been tough for the entire family.

“It’s been pretty rough from Thanksgiving forward, but he’s improving,” Senter said. “We’ve had several leaps forward and then several stumbles back, but he is doing well.”

Senter hoped the rehab center in Colorado would save his cousin.

“They’ve got a fantastic facility there that’s got a 91 or 94 percent release to home,” Senter explained. “It doesn’t mean everybody that leaves there is walking, jumping, but their overall results are fantastic and there have been miracles that have come out of that place.”

“We wanted to get him to the best place that we could,” he added. “Just so happens, that’s in Colorado, not here. So, we’re trying to put together as many fundraisers as we can.”

“There’s not very many people like him around,” Senter said. “Make you laugh, make you cry, make you mad, want to wrestle you and probably win. He’s just a great guy.”

Aside from the March 19th fundraiser, family and friends are working on a second event, so Edge can be flown to Colorado in the next several weeks.

The second fundraiser will be held on March 29, at Copper Caboose on 50th Street from 6:00-8:00 p.m.

“[We’ve] got some really upstanding people that have set up some GoFundMe’s for him and we’ve got an account set up for his benefit at Happy State Bank,” Senter mentioned.

Peterson said helping Edge meant a lot to him because his own brother died in a traffic accident in July, 2016.

“We’ve never had anything like this happen to any of us,” Peterson said. “So when something like this happens, (we take it) pretty hard.”

Peterson said he worries about his friend.

“We need to help him,” he stated simply.